merriam



Nd Model.)

N. O. MERRIAM.

(EASTER.

Patented Oct. 23, 188B.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

NELSON O. MERRIAM, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO FOSTER,

MERRIAM 87 COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CASTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,631, dated October 23, 1888.

Application filcdvApi-il 6, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELsoN C. MERRIAM, of Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Casters, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in explaining its nature.

The invention relates to an improvement in casters embracing as one feature the horns formed from a sheet-metal blank; and the invention refers especially to the manner of mak-' ing or forming the horns and the manner of attaching the spindle or pintle of the caster thereto.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in plan a blank from which the horns are formed. Fig. 2 is a view in elevation and vertical section of the complete caster. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective thereof. Fig. 4 is aview of a blank which is very like the blank shown in Fig. 1, and is used in making the horns of the caster represented in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a View in elevation and section of a caster using the blank represented in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows a slight variation in the form of the blank used for making the horns. Fig. 7 is a View in elevation of a caster, the upper part of the spindle or piutle being removed, having horns made from the blank represented in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, A represents the sheetmetal blank from which the horns are formed. This blank has the extensionsaa,which form, when bent at a right angle to the top o the horns a (See Figs. 2and 3.) The sheet-metal blank also has the extensions or wings (0*. I prefer to form in the extensions or a the holes a for the reception of the pin or shaft a, carrying the roll a", before the arms or extensions are bent to form the horns. As the sheetmetal is thin, it is necessary to provide additional support for the piutle or pin 13, and for this purpose I take a block of metal, 0, of the desired size, and in it I form a hole, 0, for the reception of the lower end of the piutle or spindle. I also form a hole of similar size in the flat section of the sheet-metal blank, the

hole therein being in line with the hole in the block 0; and the block is secured to the hornpiece by means of the wings a, which are bent downward upon two of its sides, (see Fig. 2,) and the upper sections, a of the horns,wl1ich are also bent downward against its ends, (see Fig. 3;) and the piutle B has an enlargement or shoulder, b, above the plate or top a of the horns, and is upset at Z), its lower end upon the under surface of the block 0. (See Fig.2.)

In Fig. 5 the block 0 is represented as having an inclined side, 0, and also as being thicker than the block represented in Figs. 2 and 3, and consequently the wings a of the blank represented in Fig. 4 are made longer than those shown in Fig. 1, as it is desirable that they should be of the same length as the height or thickness of the block 0, and one of the wings a is bent inward to come into contact with the inclined side 0. This serves to lock the block 0 firmly to the horns. The piutle represented in Fig. 5 has a head upon its lower end, and is secured to the block and horns by a washer, c,-driven upon or otherwise fastened to the same.

In Figs. 6 and 7 one of the wings a of the blank from which the horns are made has ears (1, which extend laterally therefrom,and which serve to clamp or look the horns a together upon the block 0 by being bent horizontally at right angle to the wing, and so as to lap upon the outer surface of the sections a of the horns. (See Fig. 7.)

A caster of this construction is very strong, in that the blanks may be made of steel or iron, instead of from brass or other compost tion usually employed, and they are also cheaply made.

It will be observed that the Wings a serve to hold the block in place between the horns a and also act to strengthen or stiffen the construction; but any mechanical equivalent for the purpose of holding the block in place between the horns may be employed, and any mechanical equivalent for the ears (I may be 5 used for looking or tying the horns together for preventing their spreading.

If desired, the horns may be fluted or cor rugated longitudinally to increase their stiff- IOO Having thus fully described my invention, I 2. The combination, in acaster, of the sheetclaim and desire to secure by Letters Patent metal horns (6 13116 roll a, carried thereby, the of the United Statesflat top or plate aflthe pintle or spindle steady- 1. Thecombination, in a caster, of the sheeting block 0, the said spindle or pintle, and a 5 metal horns of, formed from a blank by bendlocking device for preventing the spreading r5 ing down sections thereof, the connecting plate of the horns, as and for the purposes described.

or top a of the horns, the pintle or spindle NELSON C. MERRIAM. steadying block 0, secured to said plate by the Witnesses: ears or wings a, and the spindle B, substan- F. F. RAYMOND, 2d,

IO tially as described. J. M. DOLAN. 

